Dementia
Is the UK care home model dementia friendly?
Dementia has moved from the margins of public debate to the centre of the conversation as rates rise. Eilert Hinrichs analyses whether care homes are ready.
Any doubts that dementia has become a high priority issue in the UK were roundly dismissed when Baroness Louise Casey recently called for a dementia ‘tsar’ and the health secretary also expressed support for a stronger national dementia leadership role. Against this backdrop, it is clear how urgent this issue has become for the UK’s care services. As life expectancy rises and the
population ages, the condition will be one of the defining challenges facing the UK’s health and social care system for decades to come. For care home providers, this is not a distant policy issue or a future scenario. It is already shaping day-to-day operations, staffing pressures, design decisions and financial sustainability. Around 900,000 people are now living
with the condition in the UK, and an estimated 70 per cent of all care home
residents are living with some form of dementia or severe memory problems. Yet the system surrounding care homes
has not fully adapted to that reality. Despite the scale of need, both workforce capability and funding remain uneven. Last year charity Skills for Care published data indicating that fewer than a third (29 per cent) of the adult social care workforce in England has received formal dementia training. This gap matters. Supporting people whose needs extend well beyond memory loss requires specific knowledge and skill. Many residents of care homes now
present a complex combination of cognitive impairment, frailty and behavioural symptoms. As a result, providers are increasingly required to support individuals whose needs are intensive, unpredictable and emotionally demanding. Therefore, the question is no longer whether the sector
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www.thecarehomeenvironment.com April 2026
will be central to dementia care in the years ahead. It will be. The more pressing issue is whether the system in its current form is equipped and funded to deliver the level of specialised care and support that’s required.
Dementia is more than cognitive decline Dementia is often associated with ageing, but its impact extends far beyond simple thinking difficulties. People who have the condition can experience a range of cognitive, behavioural, and psychological changes that affect daily life in different ways. Early-stage symptoms can often be managed at home with support from family or community services, but as the condition progresses, care needs intensify. Plus, in more advanced stages, individuals may require assistance with most aspects of personal care, communication, and supervision.
Robert Kneschke -
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